Minn. delegates welcome Obama nomination
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Screaming: That is what it sounds like when 100 hardcore Minnesota Democrats see Barack Obama take the stage.
More screaming: that's what it sounds like when he leaves the stage.
Copy that for a whole bunch of points in between, and pretty much everywhere in the stadium.
Minneapolis delegate Hussein Samatar was ecstatic.
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"He did amazing. He did amazing. He was extremely, extremely uplifting, and specific. Specific at the same time. It was awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome," Samatar said.
Minnesota Democratic Congressmen Tim Walz and Keith Ellison were just as effusive, if somewhat more succinct.
First Ellison:
"I think he knocked it out of the park."
Then, Walz:
"Fantastic. Exactly what we needed."
Eden Prairie delegate Shanti Shah liked it when Obama quoted scripture.
"My favorite part was: "I am by brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper. The idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation. He is looking at individual and community responsibility. That is what I like best," Shah said.
Minneapois delegate Tammy Tesky liked the appeal for finding common ground.
"I loved all of it. But I think when he talked about, it doesn't matter if you agree on abortion for example... but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. There's a uniting factor in that we're all Americans. I think that's what going to resonate," Tesky said.
But the Obama speech didn't resonate with everyone in the Minnesota delegation.
"I'm sort of disappointed actually."
Charles Carlson still wishes Hillary Clinton was the nominee, and he found Obama's performance lacking.
"He didn't attack John McCain's policy specifics, in terms of green energy, in terms of his voting record. He does a very good job dancing around the words change and hope. I will vote for Barack Obama, and I support him entirely. I'm just not enthused about it," Carlson said.
But Jackie Stevenson, another long time Clinton backer, was on her feet applauding many times during the speech. And as fireworks burst overhead she said Obama had won her over.
"Best speech he's given that I've heard."
Stevenson appreciated the references to Clinton in Obama's speech. She even heard him borrow a line from Clinton: "We love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight."
So even though Stevenson cast her vote on Wednesday for Clinton, she is enthused about Obama now.
"I had to vote for Hillary -- my heart, my head -- I had to have some closure. But the minute that he was the one that was our nominee, I welcomed people to bring signs to my door and put them in my yard."
Stevenson says she's already had people say they'll take her up on the offer. She just has one request -- that they wait until Saturday, so she can get a little sleep after the four day long Democratic Naitonal Convention.
